Mariners rally late to defeat Red Sox, earn series win

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, August 2, 2023

By Michael Chavez / The Seattle Times

All the Mariners needed was Red Sox starting pitcher Kutter Crawford to come out of the game.

For five innings, Crawford struck out five Seattle hitters with his arsenal of six different pitches, keeping them off-balanced and allowing just four hits and no runs. Eventually Boston’s relievers started to jog out to the mound, while Mariners hitters began to circle around the bases.

The Mariners tallied 10 hits on the day, giving them a much-needed 6-3 comeback win against the Red Sox.

With their fourth consecutive series win, the Mariners are three games back of the final wild card spot after a crucial series against Boston who is now only ahead of them by a game.

Cal Raleigh brought the offensive spark that the Mariners so desperately craved in the bottom of the sixth inning. Winning a 10 pitch at-bat against Schreiber, Raleigh sent a low and away sinker over the right field wall giving the Mariners their first two runs of the game.

The Mariners added four runs in the seventh inning.

Newly acquired Dominic Canzone led off with a walk. Singles kept the runners moving, resulting in a 5-3 lead.

Rodriguez added a run on a double steal including Eugenio Suarez, when Red Sox catcher Connor Wong threw down to second base allowing Rodriguez to sprint home from third. The crowd of 37,942 at T-Mobile Park erupted just as Rodriguez did yelling and high-fiving teammates while jogging back to the dugout.

Mariners starter Logan Gilbert lasted until the sixth inning. He gave up five hits and three earned runs with five strikeouts.

Crawford, who the Mariners couldn’t seem to figure out, was taken out in the fifth inning allowing four hits, five strikeouts and holding Seattle to no runs.

The first hit of the game came in the third inning when Boston’s Jarren Duran blasted a two-run shot to right field after Gilbert fired in three straight splitters.

Despite being 7-8 in rubber matches this season, Seattle is 4-0 in its most recent attempts.

Mariner relief pitchers Matt Brash, Gabe Speier and Justin Topa did not allow a run with Speier the only reliever to give up a hit.

Andres Munoz relieved Topa in the ninth inning and was credited with his third save.